Kite control



Oct. 14, 1952 K. c. HOWARD KITE CONTROL Filed May 18 1951 KENNETH C. HOWARD I IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE K'ITE CONTROL H H Kenneth C. Howard, Fort Worth, Tex: I Application May 18, 1951, Serial No. 227,011

This invention relates to kites, and has reference to improvements in kite controls such as illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 168,552, filed June16, 1950, now U. S. Patent 2,556,877, issued June 12, 1951.

A kite control, as herein referred to, is capable of not only changing the angle of incidence of the plane of the kite, but is also capable of changing the relative center of lift to either side of the kite and whereby the latter may be caused to move laterally with respect to the direction of the wind. The control not only provides greater interest when fiying -a'kite for amusemerit, but may also have other applications such as" positioning scientific-' instruments carried aloft by kites, and for similar purposes.

An object of the invention is to employ the principle of the helix cam to a kite'for effectively changing the angle of incidence of the kites plane and for laterally changing the center of lift.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kite control including improved means for rotating the relative center of lift around the upper end of the kite string.

The invention will be more readily underto those versed in the art, it will be apparent that these parts may be reversediiwithout departing from the invention. The forward and rearwardends of .the housing I0 are inwardly flanged, as at 21 and 22, for retaining rotatable forward and rearward disks 23 and.24, respectively. Internal shoulders 25 and 26 Within the housing 18 rotatably support the disks 23 and 24 on the inner sidesof the flanges 2| and 22.

Ratchet teeth 2! and .28 are formed in the inner peripheries of the shoulders 25 and 28 for engaging the outer ends of U-shaped springs 29 and 30 mounted on the opposing surfaces of the disks 23 and 24. The springs 29. and 30 are mounted on the respective disks by means of projectinglpins 3i and 32,.although any. other suitable securing means may be used for this stood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a kite, and showing one form of the present invention installed between the kite and the upper end of the kite string.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the kite control illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the control illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a lateral sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of Figure 5.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 includes a cylindrical housing l0 having laterally projecting ears H intermediate its ends, together with holes I2 in the outer ends of the ears for attaching the bridle strings I3 forwardly of the plane 14 of the kite IS. The helix cam is comprised of an elongated thin bar I6 having a lateral arm I! integral withits forward end, together with a hole I8 in the outer end of the latter for attaching the upper end of the kite string I9. The helix cam portion 20 of the bar It is formed on the rearward end thereof in the form of the invention shown, but

disks 23 and 24 will rotate in the same direction.

Slotted openings 33 and 34 are formed through the disks 23 and 24 and slidably receive the flat bar I6 therethrough. A transverse pin 35 extends through the bar It for engaging the rearward end of a coiled compression spring 36 wound therearound, and the forward end of which spring bears against the inner face of the forward disk 23.

The form of the invention shown inFigures 5 and 6 includes a cylindrical housing 31 having disk closures 38 and 39 secured in each end thereof. A roundbar 40 is rotatably and slidably received through central openings 4| and 42 in the closures 38 and 39. The forward end of the bar 40 is provided with a rigidly secured laterally projecting central arm 43 having an opening 44 in its outer end for attaching a kite string, such as I9. Ears 45 project from the outer surface of the housing 31 and have holes 46 in their outer ends for attaching bridle strings, such as [3, in the same manner as previously described.

The inner wall of the housing 31 is provided with ribs 41 which are arranged in the form of alternate angles therearound and having their ends in spaced uniform overlapping relation as shown in Figure 5. There is a lateral arm 48 extending from the bar 40 and arranged to contact the sides of the ribs 41. A coiled compression spring 49 is positioned around the bar 49 between the rib contacting arm 48 and the forward closure 38.

In operation, the control arm I! of the first described form of the invention is initially positioned upright so as to obtain the best lifting angle of incidence, and the kite I5 is then flown in the usual manner. To change the relative center of lift, or to change the angle of incidence, the kite string [9 is slackened, and the action of the spring 36 and the cam 20 causes either of the disks 23 or 24 to partially rotate. When the string l9 again becomes taut, the action of the cam 20 partially rotates the control arm l1, thus positioning the outer end of the same at some point of rotation about the axial center of the cylindrical housing ID. The operation is repeated until the desired position is obtained.

The second form of the invention operates in substantially the same manner. By slackening the string IS the contact arm 48 contacts one of the angularly disposed ribs 41 and moves to a position near the end thereof. When the string [9 again becomes taut the arm 46 contacts an adjacent rib 41, and the operation'is thus repeated until the control arm 43 is in the desired position.

The described forms of the inventionarenOt limited to the constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A kite control comprising a housing adapted to be secured to the forwardend of the bridle of a kite, a rod mounted for reciprocating movement in said housing and extending forwardly therefrom, a laterally projecting control arm on the forward end'ofsaid rod, and helix cam'means carried by said housing and said rod 'forrotating the latter, the outer end of said arm being adapted for connection 'to the kite string.

2. A'kite control comprising a cylindrical housing. adapted to be secured to the forward end of the bridle of a kite, disks mounted for rotation in each end of said housing, ratchet means carried by said disks and arranged for directing the movement of both said disks in the same direction, a flat bar slidably mounted in slotted openings in said disks, a portion of the length of said bar being twisted in the form of a helix, a spring connecting said bar with said housing, and a laterally.projecting arm secured to the forward end of said bar and adapted to be connected at its outer end to the kite string.

3. A kite control comprising a cylindrical housing adapted to be secured to the forward end of the bridle of a kite, a round bar mounted for reciprocating and turning action through the center of said housing, ribs mounted on the inner surface of said housing and alternately arranged in oppositely disposed angles therearound and having their ends in uniform overlapping spaced relation with respect to each other, spring means connecting said bar with said housing, and a laterally projecting arm secured to the forward end of said bar and adapted to be con-'- nected at its outer end to the kite string.

KENNETH C. HOWARD..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Howard ss June .12, 31951 

